Brigadier General Marc M. McClelland 1935 - 2018
Brigadier General Marc M. McClelland attended Brown University in Rhode Island before entering the United States Air Force in September 1954. He was commissioned through the Aviation Cadet Program in January 1956, upon graduation from Pilot Training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. His first operational assignment was as a Fighter Pilot flying F-86s at George Air Force Base, California. In June 1958 he was assigned as a Senior Controller at Vincent Air Force Base, Arizona, where he flew T-33s and L-20s. He transferred to Rosas Air Force Station, Spain in May 1959, and served as a Senior Controller and Chief of Standardization. General McClelland transferred to McClellan Air Force Base, California in June 1962 as an Aircraft Commander in EC-121s. He transferred to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey in April 1965 to fly F-106s. He served as Flight Commander and Safety Officer until August 1967. He then went to Loring Air Force Base, Maine as Chief of Safety, again flying F-106s. In November 1967 General McClelland resigned from active duty and worked for a commercial airline. He returned to the Air Force as a full-time Air Reserve Technician with the 514th Tactical Airlift Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey in January 1968, and served as an Instructor Pilot with the 514th Military Airlift Wing (Associate). One of the first Reserve pilots to transition into C-141s, General McClelland was selected as Chief of Standardization upon completion of his C-141 pilot training in August 1968. When the 732nd Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) was formed in July 1970, General McClelland took command of the unit. He also served as Director of Operations for the 903rd Military Airlift Group (Associate) in his Air Reserve Technician capacity. In August 1971 he attended the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He returned to McGuire Air Force Base in June 1972 as Commander of the 335th Military Airlift Squadron (Associate), and resumed the duties as Director of Operations. From February 1973 to October 1973, he served with the 910th Special Operations Group at Youngstown, Ohio as Chief of Safety. During this period he attended A-37 Special Operations School. General McClelland was then assigned as Assistant Deputy Commander for Operations of the 434th Tactical Fighter Wing at Grissom Air Force Base, Indiana, where one month later he assumed the additional duty of Acting Commander of the 930th Tactical Fighter Group. He transferred to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana in March 1974 as Commander of the 917th Tactical Fighter Group. In June 1976 General McClelland was assigned to Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina as Commander of the 315th Military Airlift Wing (Associate), a position he held until May 1979 when he became Commander of the 433rd Tactical Airlift Wing, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. In March 1983 General McClelland transferred to McClellan Air Force Base, California as Vice Commander, Forth Air Force. In this capacity he served as the senior member of the United States Air Force's full-time Air Reserve Technician staff. He helped to manage the operations and training of more than 21,000 Air Force Reservists assigned to nearly 160 units throughout the United States. General McClelland was a Command Pilot with nearly 10,000 hours of flying time in at least nine different airplanes. He also wore the Senior Weapons Controller Badge. The General's military decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Services Medal with five Service Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm.